My Interview with Pet Traveler Magazine

I was asked by “Pet Traveler” magazine to answer some questions in an interview over the internet. As I am not very bashful, I thought I would share my answers with you. They were interested in my view of traveling with humans in an RV and how I was treated as a representative dog at various dog parks and other places we visited.

We started RVing in our Winnebago Vectra Motorhome and stayed in some nice places.

Pet Traveler: “How long have you been traveling with humans in the large moving box?”

Reggie (that’s me): “Dad and Mom started moving around in 1998 when they bought this really big thing they called a Winnebago Vectra. It was about 13 big dog lengths long. My first trip was when I was 7 weeks old. Dad says we went to California from Colorado. I don’t remember that trip but he says it was good for me and that I behaved very good. We didn’t start living in the box (Dad says I should call it a motorhome) until about 2001, the year I was born. You’ll have to do the math because I’m using my computer to talk to you and I haven’t learned to do two things at once. (Like use my calculator and type to you at the same time.)

Pet Traveler: “Wow, that’s almost 8 years of traveling around in a motorhome. You must really enjoy it.?”

Reggie: “Yes, it’s fun because I get to experience so many smells and lift my leg all over the place. I own a lot of territory compared to a dog that never leaves his neighborhood.”

RVing allows us to go to beautiful places where I can walk around and smell other dogs, like the Tetons.

Pet Traveler: “When you stop moving in your motorhome, where do you go?

Reggie: “We stay in places called RV Parks. They are great places for us dogs because so many humans take their dogs with them and the humans there really like us. They sometimes have places for us to play but usually we have to find our own places.”

Pet Traveler: “Do the RV Parks make you wear leashes and be tied up all day long?”

Reggie: “Yes, I haven’t been to one yet that allows us to run around freely, but some day that may happen, especially when a dog gets elected President like I almost was. But until then we stay on a leash, except when Dad and Mom takes me out to open places nearby. Usually I spend the day in front of the RV tied to the table with a long cord. It’s not so bad though. Dad and Mom makes sure I have plenty of shade and water to drink and one of them is always inside the RV if I need anything. We have a signal worked out between us. When I jump on the step of the RV (it rocks the RV a bit) Dad and Mom knows to come out and see what I want. Sometimes I’m lonely and just want some company or sometimes I want to come in and lay down on the soft couch, and very rarely I just need to go poop! Somehow we are able to figure it out together.”

Pet Traveler: “Seems to me that they just ought to put a laptop computer outside for you to send them email and just tell them what you want to do.”

Reggie: “I’ve heard them talk about that, but I have a habit of rolling over on the keys when I get sleepy and sometimes I slobber on the keyboard, so they prefer that I use it in the motorhome where they can watch me.”

I like to lie outside the RV watching for intruders.

Pet Traveler: “Are people friendly to you in the RV Parks?”

Reggie: “Most of them are very friendly. They come up to me while I am outside and pet me. Usually they say some stupid human thing, like ‘Boy you are a sleepy head’ or ‘What a good boy you are’, but they are well meaning. And I do enjoy having my head scratched. Some try to give me treats. Mom and Dad don’t like that because I’m allergic to beef products, so I’d tell your human readers: do NOT give treats to dogs without asking their owners. (Gosh that was hard to say.). Also I’d say that not all dogs are as friendly as I am. So, approach a strange dog with caution until you are sure they won’t bite your hand off. It’s good to ask their owners if they are friendly.

Make sure your owners take you for a lot of walks. Its good for both of you and its fun to smell where other dogs have been.

Believe it or not, some people just don’t like dogs, so when we are on a walk, Dad or Mom makes sure that a human likes dogs before they let me greet them. If they don’t say hi to me or ask my name, then they keep me away from the strangers until they address me. Also, some RV Parks have special areas that say ‘No Dogs in this area.’ I guess that’s where all the humans stay that don’t like dogs. (Imagine that!) There aren’t very many parks like that though.”

This great place has a lot of room to explore. It's in Nevada and was one of the first places we visited.

Pet Traveler: “Is there anything humans should know about bringing dogs along in their motorhome?”

Reggie: “Yes. I meet a lot of dogs who complain to me that their owners don’t bring enough food for them and then they have to eat unfamiliar food and they sometimes get sick. Also, sometimes owners forget to keep the water bowl full. (We like to drink both inside and outside, so you’ll probably want to bring two water bowls!) Also, some owners leave their dogs in the motorhome alone for long periods without having the windows open and it gets real hot inside. No wonder they bark. RV Parks don’t like barking dogs. Also, if it’s real hot outside and you get left behind very long with the air conditioner on, someone needs to check on you if the power goes off, or you’ll quickly cook!”

Pet Traveler: “Did you have to train specially to travel in a motorhome?”

Reggie: “Well sort of. Dad and Mom taught me that I should never leave the motorhome when the door is open unless they invite me to and one of them has my leash in their hand. They say ‘release’ and only then do I jump out. That’s because Mom or Dad can see outside the motorhome and will only let me out if there are no dangers (like cars, or vicious dogs or humans, or rain, or snow or, well you know what I mean). Also, I was taught not to pickup and eat things I find along the side of the trail or road because they might be poison or bad for me. It’s hard to resist a good aged piece of meat or candy, but Dad and Mom know best about those things.”

Pet Traveler: “Is there anything else you’d like to tell our readers?”

Reggie: “Yes. Tell the humans that us dogs like to visit with their own kind. Take us to dog parks and let us visit. There are dog parks all over the country and usually not far from an RV Park. Dad’s website (http://www.barksentry.com) has a map of a lot of them and another place (http://www.dogfriendly.com) lists a lot more dog parks and other dog friendly places. Also, please take us for walks a lot. We get bored and we don’t like to pee and poop in our own yard. All RV parks get mad when you poop and their owner doesn’t pick it up. Humans don’t like to step in dog poop for some reason. Ask the RV owners where dogs are allowed to poop. Almost all RV Parks have a special place for that, and it smells real good too!”

One rule: always wait at gates to see if it's ok to go under it. It might be dangerous on the other side.

“Dad also reminds me (he’s reading your questions over my shoulder as we speak.) that humans should make sure that our shots are current (ouch, I hate visits to the Vet) and if you travel much use some medication like REVOLUTION to keep the pesky heartworms, and fleas off of us. Also, make sure they check for ticks a lot because strange places have strange insects that you are not always aware of, especially if you are in the forest or in the bushes a lot”

Lots of places have strange insects. Get your owners to check you for them.

Pet Traveler: “So, humans need to bring a lot of plastic poop bags?”

Reggie: “Yes, but some RV Parks provide plastic bags for you. You have to ask. Dad and Mom use all their left-over bags from shopping at Walmart. There’s nothing better than walking proudly in front of your owner, with him or her carrying that little blue or white bag full of your poop. Makes you real proud to be a dog!”

Sometimes I want to come inside and sleep on the nice soft couch.

Pet Traveler: “Well, our time is up and you have been very helpful. A last question. Would you recommend traveling in one of those motorhomes to all our dog readers?”

Reggie: “Oh yes. It’s lots of fun, you get to meet so many other dogs and humans, the smells are great, and it beats just laying around the backyard all day. The view out the window is always changing when you are moving. Just make sure your humans know to prepare for you when they are packing. Bring your food bowl, a water dish or two (and make sure you have water while you are moving), plenty of your favorite food, towels for your feet (when it rains or snows), a brush to get out those stickers you’ll run into, tweezers (to take off ticks that you’ll see in strange places), your familiar toys, your leash and tie-out leash and definitely most of all, plenty of treats.”

Well, I hope you enjoyed my interview and I’m hoping to see you on the road.

Sometimes when I'm sleeping, I'm dreaming of running free. Dad says my legs actually move as I sleep.

Arf,

Reggie

I Quit

I think best while bathing, here I am in Henry's Lake, Idaho.

Last week I announced that I would become the Great Dominant Male of this country. It was a very important decision for me to make. I learned that I had to be in a contest with others to become the "President" as humans say. Since then, I learned that it took more than winning a humping contest to become President.

One of the only good things in the dog-fight is meeting some nice humans.

In fact, from what Dad says, it is more like a dog-fight than a humping contest. I've never liked to fight other dogs. It's too cruel and I'm too aristocratic for that behavior. After all, my real name is Reginald, with "Reggie" for short. That means "King" and demands certain dignified behavior. Besides, my age is advancing and I probably would have no patience with all the little fights you must continually have to stay a good President.

Then, I started hearing of humans saying, "If Reggie becomes President, this country will go to the dogs." Now that's OK with me, but Dad said it was a bad thing to say about me. I also heard humans say "Reggie doesn't have the brains of even our current President" That was offensive to me and millions of other dogs! I heard that one of the packs in this election would do things to me like report every time I lick or hump a female dog. What does that have to do with my ability to make great dog decisions for this country? One of the female contestants was heard to say, "He has no experience. He is a Golden Retriever and I've never seen him bring a bird home in all my hunting days." (I'll match my experience with hers any day!) I also heard that my real mother would be called a "bitch" in public and my real Dad's heritage would be questioned. I found out that my finances would be public knowledge. Now that's OK, I mean what harm can it be for people to know that I own a bag of dry dog food, a few old leashes, 3 ragged tennis balls, a shredded rag doll, and a few stale treats that I've hidden in various spots inside the RV.

Casey's Mom and Dad were happy with my decision. They didn't want her to live in Wash. D.C.

To top it off, people would make nasty comments about Casey, my Vice Presidential selection. She's doesn't belong to an organized pack that believe in a higher form of Dog and Dad says that would be a real bummer for me. Doesn't it matter that she loves this country, poops regularly, never tears up the furniture and is loyal to her human parents? I guess that doesn't count in such human contests.

Casey wasn't sure she was happy with my decision. She would wanted the power to help.

One of the contestants in the dog fight is named McCain. Since my announcement his people have been sending me email and telling me if I'd quit they would provide me with free dog food for life. Others in his pack have emailed me that a dog could never be a good President and I should give it up. Another email threatened to take my laptop computer away from me. Another contestant is called Obama. His people have emailed me and told me that if I'd quit running they'd name an important statue after me. One that dogs from all over the country could proudly lift their leg under.

Now, I'm not accustomed to conflict. I like a calm and peaceful life. It has become painfully obvious that being the Great Dominant Male in this country would not permit that type of lifestyle. I went to nearby Henry's Lake this week and bathed. It's during these times that I do my best thinking (the other is when I squat and poop, but that's too short a time for this kind of decision.) I came to the conclusion while at the lake that although this country will suffer, I couldn't follow through with the dog-fight and in the end feel good about myself. In fact, it's hard to figure out how any human could do that and feel good, even if they win.

I will keep my dignity and avoid the dog-fight!

Instead I will instruct all of my followers (and remember that there are 30 million dogs in this country) to convince their human owners to vote for the candidate that will work for the common and poor dogs, not just the fortunate dog. Vote for the human that will take us out of wars and keep us out, vote for the human that will make sure dogs and cats are treated with dignity and vote for the human that will make sure my human parents will be cared for when they are sick and old. Which ever human in the dog-fight will do this, please vote for him. I will make sure my Mom and Dad will do the same.

My cat friends were not happy with my decisions. I made many promises. Sorry!

For me, I plan to continue my daily naps, my regular poops and my browsing of the doggie blogs. If called to return to the dog-fight, I will refuse to do so. My doggie dignity is worth more than all the fancy dog houses and good treats that humans can tempt me with. So, watch here for more of my musings, my adventures and my travels, but don't expect me to take care of you in the future. You'll have to see to your own happiness.

Clowns are responsible for their own happiness. You'll have to do it without me!

Oh, I might take Mr. Obama's offer of that statue. But it didn't influence my decision. (Don't tell him that.) I definitely will turn down the dog food offer. I'm very sensitive to what I eat and I wouldn't trust Mr. McCain to choose what I eat.

I'm happy now without the responsibility of the "Presidency".

Arf

Reggie, the RV Dog (again)

Reggie for President

I'm writing my views on creating a better (doggie) world for everyone.

I’m not unaware of what happens in the RV when Mom is listening to CNN on the great noisy box she calls the TV, or when Mom and Dad discuss about what bad things are happening in our country. Mom and Dad say that humans are losing their jobs and can’t afford to feed their dogs, humans are at war and dogs are losing their best human friends, humans can’t drive to work or take their dogs to the dog park because the price of fuel is rising so fast, many humans are losing their homes and the dog houses with them and worst of all, dog food is costing much more today, threatening our very existence.

Tell me I don't look the part!

Humans have one Great Dominant Male that enforces the rules in this country and they call him the President. (Mom said they tried to have a Great Dominant Female, but I guess that was too much change for humans to take all at once.) I have seen the humans that want to be President today and I’ve decided that it’s time to have a dog in charge. There are almost 80 Million dogs like me in this country. It’s time they are represented in making and keeping the rules in this country. Therefore, I am announcing that I would like to be the Great Dominant Male of this country and I’m running on the Canine ticket.

To be President you have to lick a few paws, and other parts too!

I have had plenty of experience in being the dominant male in our RV and it’s surroundings. It’s not too difficult to do. You just have to act like you are in-charge, look regal and bark loud and strong a few times a day. You also have to lick a lot of human hands and a few rear-ends. Dad told me that’s what those who want to be the Great Dominant Male do. I can do that!

Exercise is important when you become the Great Dominant Male. I will stay fit!

It’s true that I’m past middle age, and have started to gray a bit, but humans have been President that are way past middle age and some have been known to sleep on the job. I can do that well! Some say a dog is not smart enough to be President. Dog poop! Put me up against the current human President any day and I’ll look as smart or better! Does he write a blog? Where? I haven’t found it. Besides, I exercise a lot each day, I’m in good health, eat well, and poop regularly. What more would you want from a President.

It is time for a new way of looking at dogs in this country. Dogs need not be second-class citizens. Actually they aren’t citizens at all, but I aim to change that. Immediately upon my selection as the Great Dominant Male or President as humans call him, I intend to grant this country’s citizenship to every dog, with all the rights and privileges. In addition, I will personally see to it that every dog has a bone in his bowl daily, at the very least. No dog should ever go hungry while I’m President.

No more leashes! Bring back dignity to being a dog!

Further, I will decree that all leashes and collars are illegal. A leash is just a way for humans to degrade us dogs and we will have it no more. Gain our trust to stay with you by treating us with dignity and give us good food each day. You won’t need a leash if you do that. After all, we aren’t called Man’s Best Friend for nothing!

I'm sure to get the cow vote. That should beef my campaign up a bit!

If you select me as your President, I will see to it that there is no more war waged by this country. How many dogs have caused wars and were responsible for the deaths of millions of humans and other animals? NONE I say. How many dogs have wasted valuable resources in this country? NONE I say. How many dogs have caused humans to lose their jobs? NONE! How many dogs have raised the price of fuel? NONE. How many dogs have refused to support Universal health care for puppies and human children? NONE! Select me as your President and I’ll make sure that all the bad things in this country are made good. I’ll chase down the selfish rule makers and run them out of town. If they don’t make good decisions for the common dog and human, I’ll lift my leg on each one until they are hounded to do the right thing! (That’s an appeal for the Hound dog support.)

I'm trying to convince this guy that I'd make the best Great Dominant Male for his country.

I know that some will accuse me of trying to attract just the “red” or “golden” vote. But I promise to appeal to dogs and humans of all colors and sizes by my sense of justice of what is right and wrong. And I won’t be prejudiced against humans. If something is good enough for me, or other dogs, it’s good enough for humans too! To show my sense of fairness, I will also grant citizenship to felines. There are a lot of cats in this country and I intend to improve their lives too. Kibbles for all cats. With the dog and cat vote, I can’t miss!

Look me in the eye and tell me I wouldn't be the best President this country has ever known!

If I am selected as your President, I’ll make sure that every dog, puppy or grown-up, can see a Vet if they need one, and for no payment but a lick on the face! Why should only the rich humans have healthy dogs? It’s shameful that the amount of riches you bury decides whether you can live or die. All dogs will be covered by the Universal Vet Care that I will create once I become the President.

Dog Parks will be all over the country. Dogs will join together in solidarity!

Dog Parks will be required in every city in this country. They will have plenty of clean water to drink, snacks, covered places where we can get out of the rain, plenty of grass, a lake to play in and clean places to poop! Humans will be required to take their dogs to a dog park at least three times per week. Even dogs in dog orphanages will have to be taken to the dog parks. Oh, and I’ll stop the mis-treatment of dogs and cats and the killing of dogs and cats in those “shelters” too. I’ll make tax-incentives (Dad told me that phrase) to encourage humans to adopt the unwanted dogs and cats.

Just let one of those greedy humans start a dog fighting contest and they’ll understand the age old fear of wolves. With me, those guys rank below the organisms that grow beneath my dog poop.

Every dog that is owned by an RVer will have a separate bed and a clean place to sit outside the RV. No more chained stakes, no more fences, no more dirty poopy places to lie down. RV Parks will be required to allow dogs of all sizes.

National and State Parks will drop their silly rules that dogs can’t run on trails. Stores will allow dogs to accompany their humans, especially in the big stores humans call Malls, and of course, as I said before, all leash laws will be struck down for good.

Me and Casey in our official Canine ticket portrait. She's as qualified as any other female running!

It’s not hard to see what a great place this country could be if I became President. Of course, I’d need an assistant. Humans call this the Vice-President. I will choose Casey (my beagle friend) to be my Vice-President. She’s a cute gal and can howl with the best of them. I notice that one of the humans that want to be President has selected a female as their Vice President also. I’m sure that Casey is just as qualified as she is (and Casey doesn’t have a large family to distract her and for her to take care of. Without puppies, she can spend all her time supporting me.)

I stand for justice for all dogs, humans and even cats. Vote for me, please!

If I am selected as the Great Dominant Male of this country, I’ll move Mom and Dad and their RV into the great White House and build a magnificent Dog House for me. Dogs from all over the county can come and lift their leg in my yard to see what determination can do for any dog. I want to inspire others to be like me so the future happiness of dogs is assured.

When I'm at the top, you'll get more than dog poop from your President.

So, if you want to have happiness, peace, health, and freedom, I ask you to select me as your Great Dominant Male for this great country. I won’t let you down.

ARF, (meow)

Reggie for President

My first endorsement. Mom is behind me the whole way!


Late breaking news: Megan will be my campaign manager. (She's my sister Genevieve's dog.)

Reggie at Rockport, Texas

Another really fun place that we have stayed a few times is in a country Dad calls Texas. We stay near the big pond called the Gulf of Mexico in a city called Rockport. Our Western Horizon RV Club allows us to stay here. It is a park called Bayview RV Resort.

Brandy and me stroll along the lake at Bayview RV Resort in Rockport, Texas.

We usually stay in the early springtime when it is not so hot. I really don’t like to stay in places that are hot because Dad refuses to give me a haircut and this fur is really thick! Cool is my salvation! But Dad says my fur protects me from the bugs, like the mosquitoes that are sometimes here, and the spiders and scratches from barb wire and the sticks and stones that I roll around in. So, I guess I’ll just deal with it.

There are lots of walking paths at the RV park. We walk alot under the Oak trees there.

The RV park is nice here because it has a lot of room to walk under beautiful oak trees and it has a big lake in the middle. Dad doesn’t let me swim in the lake though, because there is an alligator in it. Dad says I might not be able to play with the alligator without getting hurt. I think I could run faster, but Dad says they are faster than they appear. I’ll trust Dad on this one.

Alligators are sly looking and should be avoided, Dad says.

We stay in the back near the forest for privacy.

We stay in the back of the RV park next to a large forest so we have a lot of privacy. There are a lot of dogs that stop to visit me. Most are really nice. Last year I met this really pretty girl named Brandy. She’s looks like me and loves to play. She lives next door in a house and her owners don’t keep her on a leash so she gets to run all over the RV park by herself. Anyway, one day Mom let Brandy and me play down next to the lake. We had so much fun together running and tumbling and jumping. We even got in the water a little (Dad wasn’t with us then). I miss Brandy now.

This is my friend Brandy and me playing at the RV Park.

Every day Mom and Dad take me on a walk around this large RV park. I have to stay on my leash most of the time but it’s still fun because there are so many smells to enjoy. Sometimes we walk across the big highway and go to the seashore. Dad likes to do that because there are so many interesting things for him to point his black box at. There are many seabirds. Most of them are very white with black trim. Dad calls them sea gulls.

The Great Blue Heron is a big bird (taller than me even!)

One bird is taller than me and is called a Great Blue Heron. He’s pretty and Dad likes to photograph him. Dad says he’s a great fisherman and loves to swallow big fish whole. Some very tall birds are pure white and are called Egrets. I’d sure like to chase them, but Dad says no!

The heron has no manners. It swallows a fish whole!

We walk a long way along the coast, past very long piers they jut out into the bay where there are many birds sitting on the posts. All the piers belong to other humans that won’t let us get on them. Humans sure have a lot of rules. It’s a wonder they can function at all with each other!

South Padre Island beach is fun. I can run forever and go into the water.

Once we got into the car and drove to a very large beach nearby called Padre Island seashore. We can get out and I can run free along the beach for thousands of paw lengths. Lots of large birds called brown pelicans follow above me down the beach. They are so large that they give me shade from the Sun! Dad can even drive the car on the beach. It’s so much fun there. I like the sand and I especially like the dead birds and fish that I can roll around in. It makes me smell like them and then I can roam around without being detected by other dogs. It’s an old habit, hard to break! I even run out into the water. The waves aren’t big like they are in other big ponds but it’s water and fun to play in.

Sunrise at Aransas National Wildlife Refuge and a fisherman that got up early!

Dad likes to drive to Aransas National Wildlife Refuge about 35 miles away from our RV Park. It’s a place with lots of birds that Dad loves to photograph. They have lots of interesting birds, including the rare Whooping Cranes. Dad says he even saw the funny looking Javelina that looks like a hog. They have lots of animals there, including alligators, wild boar, armadillos, foxes, bobcats, Opossums, raccoons, deer and much more. Dad told me that you have to be very patient to get photographs of all of these. Dad won’t let me go because he thinks the animals might be afraid of me and run away. I am a Bad Boy!

I spend a lot of the day at the RV Park protecting Mom and watching the birds near Dad’s bird feeder and waiting for Brandy to come by and visit. A lot of interesting birds visit our feeder. The birds I’ve seen are called Blue Grosbeaks, Painted Buntings, Red Cardinals, Indigo Buntings, and much more, and they are just outside our RV. Dad gets really excited when he sees one of those colorful birds. Of course he drags his big black box out and points it at them. Usually they just fly away when they see it! I don’t blame them, it looks frightening, especially if you are so small as a bird.

This little guy keeps me company when Dad is gone. He's a red Cardinal.

Sometimes in the morning Dad and I walk along the seashore when the sun starts to rise. It’s really pretty then. I like this place and I think you will too.

Sunrise over the piers near Rockport, Tx.

You should visit Rockport some day. You won’t be sorry.

Arf

Reggie